The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-26
AN ANTIQUATED FORT.
Alcatraz Island and Its Buildinga-Dis-
mounted Guns-The Military Prison.


mounted Guns-The Military Prison.
San Francisco Chronicle:
The traveller by sea entering the Golden Gate
sees before him grass-clad islet called Alcatraz
surmounted by number of red buildings at
various points upon its sides The stars and
the summit Of the island with the black pro-
trudng muzzles of cannon, betoken the fact that
upon this little spot of land the United States
government holds exclusive sway. Then, too,
at shutdown the bright light that flashes from
the white tower upon the eastern ex-
tremity shows that care is exercised by
the authorities to provide a guide for
navgators of the bay and ocean who may
seek our harbor after nghtfall. The lamps
bright rays. and in fogsy weather the resonant
tones OF bell warn the mariner of the prox-
iraity of the rocky isst and the shoal waters at
its base The admirable position of the island
commands attention from ngineers and military
authorities when its location for offensive and
defensive purposes are considered. and to the
uniformed the cannon mounted at points upon
the slopes would appear that no hostile foe
would ever dare to pass these formidable look
ing machines of war But recent visit to the
island made by Chronicle reporter proved
how fallacious the idea is of the Notifications
and armament of Alcatraz proving obstacle
to the passage OF a ship armed with modern
artillery.
After passage of twenty-five minutes on
board of the General Mcdowell. the landing
place of the post is reached. Unless armed
necessary ".
to visit the island. and the authorized person is
received by the officer on duty at the wharf. An
armed sentry keeps watch and ward, and the
visitor feels that he has stepped into a
region where military rule reigns supreme The
Chronicle reporter was courteously received by
Major Rodgers OF the First Artillery, command
ant of the Alcatraz garrison, and afforded every
facility to view the fertilization and general es-
tabshment of the post.
Facing the wharf is a ed-brick wall having
at an elevation of fifty feet from the roadway
a line of loophoes These loopholes are fur
nished with stout iron shutters, and in remote
as a medium from which q number of cannon
could be utilized to repel a storming party
But the guns are absent, and may be seen re-
posing in row. weather-stainej, rusted and
useless except as old iron. Above the wall the
barracks of the garrison are located. and
number of men off duty were listlessly view
ing the steamers arrival and smoking the pipe
of peace
To the right of the landing is located a cluster
of buildings used as storehouses and workshops.
A carriage road leads to the summit of the
island, which can also be reached by series of
of wooden steps, the steepness of which must be
very wearsome to officers who compelled by
duty to ascend descend frequently. At the
various platforms sentries are stationed, the
first landing place being carefully guarded, it
leads to the approaches of the military prison.
The road at its summit leads to the houses of the
officers, the commandments offices, the bureau of
the quarsermaster. and other officials. Lining
the wall top is row of blackened shot and shell,
while the bright tints of flowers in we'll kept
garden lend an air of prettiness scarcely
naut with the prose. grim messengers OF death
in the shape OF two ffteen-inch Parrot guns.
But, in common with several of their kind, these
guns lie on the ground. their carriages all dis
mounted, and their usefulness for defensive
purposes is myth
Strolling over the island to its southwest side.
the brass pop-guns used for saluting purposes
may be seen. The range of parapets. earth
works and magazines, built1pf earth and faced
with brick, remain as monuments OF the labor of
the engineer corps in long forgotten days. Iron
doors. rusted and implanted. mark the spots
where powder, shot and shell should be stored,
but the magazines are empty. The embrasures,
grass grown and moss-covered, are waiting for
| the time when a warike Congress will see fit to
| have serviceable guns mounted within. The
| only sign of defensive power exhibited upon
| the island in the form of artillery are three
| fifteen-inch Parrott and few eight-inch guns
/ on wheels These guns are mounted to sea-
| ward. with a probable Intention to impress
| any foreigners coming through the Golden Gate
| of the power that exists at the post. How val
| ueless the big PARROTS are may be learned when
| their position is viewed. Their muzzles touch
| the top of the parapet and the elevation at
| which they stand precudes the idea that shot
fired at an incoming warship would strike any
| where but her royal masthead. Possibly their
services might be of avail if the guns were
elevated to an angle of twenty degrees and a
shot fired as from mortar upon the vessels
/ deck. AS tnev now Sta0O, the guns are perfect
| ly useless. The elevatne and depressing gear
is worked by the aid of handspikes, necessitat-
ing the service of double the number of men
| that a one-hundred-ton gun with the improved
| hydraulic geared wheel movements requires.
Faulty construction of the lower line of EN-.
| brasures is visible. The constructor seems to
have known that he would never be called upon
| to serve gun IN action, and made no provision
| for protection against shell shot The elacis
| of the upper parapet would, 10 the event of a
shell striking it and then splitting up. serve tc
| scatter the fragments around those who were or
the lower parapet Similar conditions exist
with regard to the magazines. which appear te
be in very exposed position.
But in these piping times OF peace such
small matter as tue protection Of wealthy city
like San Francisco scarcely engages the atten
| ton of the Solons who make appropriations fol
| the improvement of bitches and rivers that hav,
no outlet or use. The neglected state of tn.
| Notifications in San Francisco harbor is vel
i exempi6ed at AlcAtraz When there shall b.
money to erect forts and provide guns to pro